Plant-Based Vega Smoothies Review

If you are anything like me, you probably got sucked into the hoopla of smoothies, in particular the “healthy” ones that supposedly give you magic powerssuch as energy and vitamin boosts. First off, and let me get on my soapbox here, because: a) I am short and, b) this is seriously misleading since most of these smoothies have fruits, sure, but have a ton of sugar in them. In our defense, the smoothie shops have pretty fruit that is unrealistically glitzy. I mean, who thought fruit could look so glamorous!

I stopped going to smoothie shops six months ago, made my own smoothies for a while, and then I got too lazy to bother.

Then I was approached to review the Vega Smoothies. Now, like the Green Bars, I must remind thee, vegans, that I was not paid to write this review. In no way did the folks at Vega Smoothies influence my review either. I mean, look, I am on a soapbox; no one can influence me from way up here—( I am barely 5 feet. This is some box, I tell you). Anyway, the company was kind enough to send me a box with packets of various flavors in them. They asked if I could write a review, if I wanted to. I am now slowly descending from my soapbox to tell you about the Vega Smoothies.

Well: they are much better for you than the sugary stuff at the gyms and the place with the pretty lighting and cute fruits. Here is what I do like about them: you can make them at home and they are very quick to make. So, if you are a parent, student, or just a person who does not eat much in the mornings, these smoothies are a good option for you. There is no need for those loud mixer thingies (juicers?).

What they do claim is that they are energizing and that they have fiber, omega 3 without dairy, gluten, or sugar. Well: we can like them for not including sugar and for being as natural as possible for starters, oui? I am very sensitive to sugar right now and was able to handle these smoothies without any problems. The taste and consistency are good, but as the company is careful to note, you can add water or anything else to the paste. I think this is where you may need to get creative. I do not want watery smoothies but I did not want smoothies that were too dense, so I had to mess around with what I add to the mixture.

For the first few times, I just added water and the taste was mild. The problem was that there were clumps of powder, no matter how much I tried to mix things together. Being the untalented cook that I am, I asked other people to try making the smoothie: same problem. A friend made it sound like we have to perform a special ritual around the smoothie or something to make it all consistent. No, seriously, she said, “add water a little bit, mix it until it is a paste. And then add more water.” It works, but that is not on the directions! (Do you see why I am a bad cook? “That’s not what the book says!”). So, you may have to mess around with how you want to mix it? I have another friend who liked the little clumps of powder but she mixed them so that they were not powder-y. I added soymilk, just plain, and did the Vega-Paste-to-Smoothie-Dance, and found the consistency I like. But, like all food, I suppose, you kind of have to figure out what you like.

Oh! One thing is somewhat for sure, though, if you are not a fan of oatmeal, I will warn you now: this is reminiscent of oatmeal to me. It definitely makes your stomach full for a while, which is something I like. I am not a fan of cooking and this is a cold meal, so it is nice. I like oatmeal, so I did not have problems with it at all.

Here is another thing: while the flavors are different enough, with water, I found that I was not able to appreciate their awesomeness enough. It could be just a preference, though. The taste was overall mild and not too sugary. The neat thing here is that, for the most part, the flavors go well together but still you can appreciate each flavor. You do not have any surprise chunks of fruits or anything, so you shall not choke on any fruits while drinking any of these smoothies, which is nice.

Are you ready to hear about my favorites, in order and all? I am really excited because some of the flavors have the coolest names ever. Also: I begin with the love of my life in terms of smoothies.

Folks, this is about to get serious.

Choc-A-Lot

Put everything down and appreciate the awesomeness of this smoothie. It is, hands-down, my favorite smoothie of all time. It is chocolate flavored, obviously, but it not cheap-o chocolate. I mean, this one tasted rich and velvety, even before I used soymilk instead of water. It was just always perfect. It is the Sir Lancelot of Smoothies.

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Bodacious Berry

I like berries and this smoothie is just a bunch of berries, being all merry and sweet together. It is nice, simple, and very yummy. It is much nicer with soymilk, though.

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Oh Natural

Some days, I wake up and my stomach is sensitive and does not want anything too flavored. This smoothie was perfect for days like this. If you have stomachaches or you just want something chill for your stomach when you really do not want to eat, this is the smoothie for you. It is very, very gentle. Does it have a bit of flavoring? I think so. It tastes like the base flavor of all the other ones.

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Tropical Tango

I am strongly allergic to pineapples and most things “tropical,” so I had little sips of this one—see how dedicated I am? See how much I love you, folks? Surprisingly, the flavor was quite delightful and refreshing. It felt like I was in some fancy resort. I did get an allergic reaction, so, when they say they include natural and real fruit in there, they mean it!

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Vanilla and Almond

I love me some vanilla and I like almonds, but oh goodness, the almond taste is strong here. If you are not too crazy about almonds, you might not like this one too much.

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Stay tuned for more from this brand. They may come ‘round this site again.

Dina is tofu; she is a cube with many roles. She is a novelist, a poet, a journalist, yogi, artiste, music lover, and a firm believer in the importance of self-discovery, constant development, compassion, and positive energy. She is a professional daydreamer, avid reader, a wanderer, wonderer, ponderer, high fiver-er and a hugger.

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2 Comments »

s3esp0trunOctober 2, 2012 at 2:58 am -

I had the same problem with the mixing if it’s a spoon with a glass scenario. So what I’ve been doing every time now is putting my meal/drink-on-the-go in a glass jar or water bottle and shaking the living day lights out of it. It’s gotten me a smooth smoothie with Vega mixes and any powder mixing drink, every time. Sometimes just to boost the fiber and omegas I add chia seeds to the smoothie. It’s the perfect breakfast that lasts me till lunch or makes for a yummy lunch, easily!

disqus_TWWyydQyRWDecember 13, 2012 at 10:59 am -

I have a problem with the packaging for the size that comes in a packet. It’s going to end up in landfill. Part of eating vegan is for the health of the planet, no? Why not go all the way, and make the package a part of that. Otherwise it’s a bit hypocritical.